Chicago author Ima Kidd launches new Chicago Kidz book series with New York City field trip

Chicago-based author Ima Kidd is preparing to debut a new children’s series next spring, starting with a book that sends The Chicago Kidz to New York City. The project uses a cross-city adventure to explore culture, landmarks and food while drawing comparisons between Chicago and New York.

Why it matters: - The new series turns the Chicago vs. New York rivalry into a children’s story that can introduce young readers to geography, culture and city landmarks. - The first book is designed to build a recurring franchise around The Chicago Kidz and future field trips.

What happened: - Chicago-based author Ima Kidd is preparing to launch a new book series featuring characters called The Chicago Kidz. - The first book in the Field Trip series is titled "The Chicago Kidz Take A Bite Out The Big Apple." - The book is set to debut next spring. - The story sends The Chicago Kidz to New York City to explore similarities and differences between Midwest and East Coast city life.

The details: - The Chicago Kidz meet a group of New York City kids after flying from O’Hare Airport to LaGuardia Airport. - The story highlights the Chicago and New York accents the two groups notice as they talk. - The trip takes the characters through major New York destinations including the subway, Central Park, Madison Avenue, Wall Street, Manhattan, Harlem, the Empire State Building, Broadway, Madison Square Garden, Riverside Church, the Hudson River, Coney Island, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Metropolitan Museum and Fifth Avenue. - The Chicago Kidz compare those places with Chicago landmarks including Grant Park, Michigan Avenue, State Street, Navy Pier, the Willis Tower, LaSalle Street, the Chicago River, the United Center, the Art Institute of Chicago and Union Station. - The characters also compare food from both cities. - New York foods in the story include thin-crust pizza, street cart hot dogs, pastrami sandwiches on rye bread, bagels and lox, and New York cheesecake. - Chicago foods in the story include deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, cheese and caramel popcorn. - The story also compares music, dancing, fashion and other cultural touches. - The Chicago Kidz end the day excited about what they learned and invite the New York kids to visit Chicago.

Between the lines: - The book uses familiar city landmarks and foods to make cultural comparison accessible for children. - The rivalry framing gives the series a built-in hook, but the story emphasizes friendship and curiosity over competition.

What's next: - The Chicago Kidz will continue with additional field trip stories as the series grows. - Readers can find more Chicago Kidz stories at more Chicago Kidz stories. - The Chicago Kidz YouTube channel will feature music book trailers. - The release also directs readers to the project’s social channels on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.